The Story of a Lady Captain
by KATE. FUCK YOU
Summary: Fujiwara Mayumi is a captain stuck in an arranged marriage-to someone she barely knows.  Please read and review!  It's hugely appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is pretty much just the introduction so it's going through the past and it's gonna be a little slow, and my character's gonna seem a bit like a Mary Sue. But it'll get better, I promise! (= please read and review!**

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><p><em>Hajime mashite. Watashiwa Fujiwara Mayumi desu. Douzo yoroshiku<em>.

My name is Fujiwara Mayumi.

I am a Fujiwara, one of the noble families of the Soul Society. When I was young, I spent my time inside, learning lady kidou, beauty-preserving kidou. Making flowers grow and water dance and sculpting ice. I was the worst at it out of my two sisters, and being the middle sister made it harder. I also had two older brothers, older than my oldest sister as well. Nii-san, my oldest brother, used to play with me a lot. Then he and my other brother left for the Court Guard Academy to learn how to reap hollows, the monsters that haunted my nightmares. They graduated with high honors and were soon placed in companies, or so I heard from my parents. When I was a child I had a bad habit of eavesdropping and spying and was often scolded for doing such.

I found out about my arranged marriage in this way, to someone in the Kuchiki clan. My other sisters were arranged to marry other Nobles. My oldest sister was to marry someone of the Shihoin clan, and my younger sister was going to be married to a boy in the Fon clan.

Out of both my sisters, who stayed home with me when my brothers left, I had the worst nightmares. And one day, they were validated when a fox faced man brought Nii-san's mangled body home to us. I was the only one of my sisters to see his body (I went to spy on the door from the garden when I heard someone call to be let in). It turned my nightmares into reality and frightened me into becoming more obedient and studious. It also instilled in me a sense of the real world and a thirst for revenge. I wanted to get revenge for my brother.

I started working harder in my classes and caught up with my little sister, Imoutou, and soon caught up with Nee-san, my older sister, as well. The tutors were surprised by my sudden progress.

Somehow I convinced my father to let me join the Court Guard Academy. My other brother was already a shinigami in the Court Guards, unseated but serving dutifully in the World of the Living. My mother didn't approve of me learning swordsmanship and martial arts with boys, but my father overruled her of course. I went to the Court Guard Academy and started my studying.

I made some friends, Hisagi Shuhei, who was a year above me, and some other people in my year. I found out through them who the Kuchiki Byakuya that I was arranged to marry was. I saw him in passing a few times.

But I grew as a shinigami in a different world than him. He was isolated because he was a Noble and everyone knew it, but when I was in the Academy, I put myself at the same level as the kids from Rukongai.

I worked harder in the Academy than I did for anything else. My lady's kidou was replaced with kidou that soul reapers used to kill hollows. Ikebana was replaced with swordsmanship and flowers were replaced with zanpakutou. Manners were replaced with martial arts. I became a shinigami and devoted my whole self to my schooling.

Hisagi-senpai was placed in a Court Guard Company and graduated. I followed, and was placed in the Second Division. My friends graduated behind me and were placed into squads as well.

I was seated soon as 10th seat, and Hisagi-senpai was seated in his squad. He became Shuhei-san and my closest friend.

I worked hard reaping hollows, and realized that reaping them wasn't avenging my brother's murder, and I also realized that he wouldn't want his death to be avenged. I honored his memory by serving.

After only a few weeks working as a 10th seat for SoiFon-taichou, I learned that Kuchiki Byakuya had deviated from our arranged marriage to marry a girl from Rukongai. I found out that her name was Hisana. I had no problem with it at all. I hadn't wanted to be married to anyone I didn't know to begin with. However, my family was furious. They cut all ties with the Kuchiki family. The news didn't really affect me, I didn't plan on ever marrying, I wanted to become a Captain of one of the Gotei 13.

After being a 10th seat for many years, I was soon transferred to another squad, as lieutenant of Thirteenth company. I was told that the death of the former lieutenant was a bizarre accident in which a favorite kouhai of his had killed him. And I found that, in an even stranger twist, the kouhai who killed the lieutenant was a girl who had been adopted by Kuchiki Byakuya because she looked like the late Lady Hisana.

It came as a surprise to me that Lady Hisana, the woman from Rukongai whom Kuchiki Byakuya had married, was dead. And that Kuchiki-taichou would adopt someone just because she looked like his late wife. It was all very confusing to me, but I distanced myself from the world of the nobles and didn't try to learn any more about the matter.

I made friends in the other Lieutenants, namely Matsumoto Rangiku of Tenth, Abarai Renji of Sixth, and Izuru Kira of Third.

And that takes me to my present. Aizen, Tousen, and Ichimaru defected and left for Hueco Mundo. There was a desperate need for captains, and I was promoted to Captain of Fifth company before I even knew what was happening. My dream of becoming a Captain in honor of my brother was fulfilled. I was happier than I had ever been in my life, making new friends in the other captains and becoming closer with my old ones. I became distant from my family, immersed in my work. I went to the weddings of my brother and sisters, but that was it.

So it was a surprise when a messenger came to my office with a letter from my parents. It said to come home, they had something important to talk with me about. I left my office quickly and went home. What I learned there ground my wonderful life to a screaming halt.


	2. Chapter 2

"Fujiwara-taichou, there's a messenger for you," Hinamori-fukutaichou called.

"Oh, come in, please," I called from behind my desk. I was behind three towers of paperwork, and there was a box of chocolates open beside me. Momo opened the screen doors and a messenger came in.

"Fujiwara Mayumi?" the messenger inquired. I nodded impatiently.

"Yes, that's me," I said, looking down at my paperwork again and resting my head on my hand. I had a short fuse when I was doing work; I couldn't help it.

"The Noble clan Fujiwara has a message for you," the messenger said. I froze and looked up.

"_Yomitte kudasai_," I said. "Please read it." The messenger cleared his throat and began.

"'The head of the Noble house Fujiwara, Fujiwara Hideaki, requests the presence of Fujiwara Mayumi, Captain of the Fifth Court Guard Company and his honored daughter, on the Fujiwara estate for a meeting in the afternoon of today,'" the messenger read. "End message."

"Alright," I said.

"Do you wish to send them a response?" the messenger asked. I sighed and thought for a second.

"Tell them I'll be there. But say it politely when you tell them," I said, chuckling a little bit. The messenger nodded and bowed then left the room.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Hinamori asked. I shook my head and smiled.

"No, thank you very much, Hinamori-fukutaichou. You're excused," I said. She bowed and left.

That left me alone in my office. It was still the morning, so I would finish some more paperwork then go to my barracks and get ready to meet my parents. Would it be more appropriate to wear a nice kimono or my captain's cloak and shihakushou? I sighed again and put down my pen to massage my temples. I closed my eyes. I hadn't visited my parents in years. What did they want? My father knew that Court Guard captains had a lot of work. He was one. Hundreds and hundreds of years ago, anyway. Maybe things were different.

But in the end I still had to see my parents today. And I had no idea why they needed to see me so suddenly, which didn't make me any less nervous for sure.

At half past noon I left my office and decided to just go straight to my parent's house. I arrived at the front gates in a few minutes (the Noble's properties were just on the outskirts of where the shinigami lived). I stood in front of the huge gate and knocked. It opened and I walked down a dirt path lined neatly with smooth pebbles and rocks and beautifully kept flowers and shrubs; my mother delighted in growing the flowers and shrubs in strange shapes.

I continued up the path and came across a fountain. I looked at it admiringly, a flood of memories swamping me.

The fountain was a wide, shallow bowl made of ice and inscribed with the family motto, _Chikara to chisiki to bi arimasu._ Strength, intelligence, and beauty.

The bowl was sitting on a crystal pedestal that was also inscribed with images of birds and other animals. The light reflected through the bowl and pedestal to make dancing rainbows on the ground.

I remembered playing with my sisters by this fountain, learning how to sculpt and preserve ice from our kidou tutor. And I remembered not being allowed on the path outside for months after my brother's body was brought home. We were still allowed to play in the garden on the side of our house. There was a koi pond in the side garden and I used to try to pet the fish.

I shook myself out of my short reverie and continued past the fountain, a pillar of water twirling up as I twirled my hand and settling back into the bowl tamely as I continued on to the house. The rainbows on the ground spun wildly on the path.

The dust revolved in small circles around my feet as I stopped in front of the door to my parent's mansion. The screen door slid open before me and a servant bowed. I nodded back and smiled, and they showed me in. I leaned over and took my sandals off before continuing into the house. The servant was a young man in a white uniform. He turned around from me and I saw that out family crest, a red Lion, symbolizing strength, fighting with a royal blue peacock, symbolizing beauty and intelligence. I smiled a little bit.

The servant stopped in front of another screen door. He kneeled on the ground and announced us. I heard my father's voice call, "Come in, please." I kneeled behind the servant and he opened the door. My father was sitting in front of a table and my mother was standing behind him. I bowed, then stood up to go into the room.

"Mayumi-chan," my father said, smiling. I nodded and smiled back. I sat down in front of him at the table.

"You summoned me," I said shortly.

"Yes, we did," he said. "It's to discuss an… arrangement." I felt myself tense up.

"What kind of arrangement, _Otou-san_?" I asked carefully.

"You remember who Kuchiki Byakuya is, and his relevance to you?" he asked me. I nodded.

_I don't like where this is going._

"Yes, I do. He married Lady Hisana. She passed away a while ago," I said.

"Indeed. Unfortunate," my mother chimed in, not sounding at all sorry.

"Kuchiki Ginrei has renewed the offer of your arranged marriage to Kuchiki Byakuya. We accepted," my father said. My mother beamed at me.

"What?" I asked numbly.

"You're getting married to someone in one of the four Noble families!" my mother said happily.

"You accepted it without asking me?" I asked.

"Of course. You should've been married to him anyway, years and years ago." My father frowned at my lack of interest.

"But I have my own life now, you can't force me to marry someone anymore!" I said, voice rising.

"I am still the head of this family, and yes, I can. You are my daughter!" he said, leaning forward, eyes blazing. I closed my eyes, trying to compose myself.

"This will be an embarrassment to our family. A captain being forced against her will by her parents to marry someone? People will laugh," I reasoned. "And as a captain of the fifth Court Guard company, I should be able to make my own choices."

"We have already accepted the renewed offer; you have no choice anymore," my father said, voice low.

He was right. I had to obey my parents, always.

_The man with the fox face stood at our door, smile unnaturally wide, the bloody and mangled corpse of my dead brother behind him_.

"_You should always do as you're told, little girl," he said, tousling my hair._

"You must obey us!" my mother said shrilly.

"_If you do as you're told, you won't get hurt,"_ _he said in a sing-song voice. I nodded, trembling._

"I know, _Okaa-san_," I mumbled.

My parents smiled radiantly at me and I started feeling dizzy.

"You're excused. Come back tomorrow at the same time, we have to start planning the wedding," my mother said. I nodded and stood up, bowed, and left the room.

_**What's happening to my perfect life?**_

A/N: Thanks for reading! I really hoped you liked it :P Please please review if you didn't or if you did, I really love getting critique! (=


	3. Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning in my bed, rolled over and groaned. I covered my eyes with my arm.

_It was all a weird dream… _I thought. Then I pulled myself back to reality. I would imagine that the captain of sixth had protested as well, in the same fashion as me. Of course it would be embarrassing for a captain to be forced into an arranged marriage by his parents. Especially for a captain like Kuchiki, being the head of his house and all. I supposed Kuchiki Ginrei still had power over him.

Maybe I could depend on Kuchiki Byakuya to get out of the arrangement for both of us. I was fairly sure he didn't want to get married to anyone either. Especially not someone he had never really met.

Of course we had met each other, we were both captains. But I didn't _know_ him.

I remember the first time we had really formally met, when I was made a captain.

_"Fujiwara Mayumi, lieutenant of the thirteenth Court Guard company, daughter of the Noble house Fujiwara, we have called upon you in our time of need. The threat of the Arrancars is looming nearer and we are lacking three captains. It has been revealed to me that you have mastered your bankai. Am I correct?" the Captain-General asked me._

_I nodded meekly. "_Hai_, yes sir, I have, sir," I said._

_"I will take your word that you have, and not ask you to expose your powers to us," he said. I nodded my head at him. "You have been taught to serve to your fullest abilities, have you not?"_

_I nodded again, starting to shake a little bit._

_"I am promoting you to the rank of captain."_

_My eyes grew wide. There had been rumors (mainly Kyouraku-taichou gossiping with my captain) about me being promoted, but I hadn't believed them. Even after I had been summoned to a Captain's only meeting, I refused to believe that someone like me would be promoted to Captain._

_"It's… it's an honor, Captain-General, sir. With all due respect, are you sure that I'll be suited to this position?" I asked nervously._

_"Are you questioning me? And the other captains who petitioned for you to be promoted?" he asked me. I was shaking now for real._

_"No, sir, not at all, sir," I said, trying to stop my voice from quavering._

_"Good. You are now the Captain of the fifth Court Guard company," he said. Two servants walked forward with a brand new, pure white cloak, the insignia of fifth company stitched on the back. They put it on me._

_"Now, introduce yourself to your comrades," the Captain-General said to me. I nervously walked to my former captain Ukitake Jyuushiro._

_"Thank you," I whispered, bowing deeply to him. He bowed back and clasped my hand in his._

_"You deserve the honor," he said, smiling kindly._

_I introduced myself to the other captains, going down the numerically ordered line. When I got to Six, I bowed deeply again, for the seventh time, and then made eye contact with him. I was struck by the cold indifference in his eyes. Then, I realized that he was also extremely handsome. I tried to stop myself from blushing as he held my gaze steadily._

_"_Hajime mashite, watashino namaewa Fujiwara Mayumi desu. Douzo yoroshiku_," I whispered, nodding my head again. "Nice to meet you, my name is Fujiwara Mayumi. Please treat me well."_

_"_Hajime mashite, bokuwa Kuchiki Byakuya desu. Douzo yoroshiku_," he echoed, nodding at me. He looked over my face, scrutinizing every detail._

_"_Sumimasen_," I said. "Excuse me." I continued on to the next captain, Unohana Retsu, who smiled at me kindly._

"He's scary!" I said to myself. I rolled around in my bed wallowing in self-pity for about another half an hour, then forced myself up. I slowly got dressed and walked to my office.

"_Ohayou gozaimasu,_ Fujiwara-taichou!" Hinamori said cheerfully.

"Yeah, _ohayou gozaimasu,_ Hinamori-fukutaichou," I said, forcing a smile. She cocked her head to the side. "_Gomen_, I'm a little bit tired," I said reassuringly. She smiled and I went into my office. I walked around the couch and coffee table and plopped myself at my desk. I crossed my arms and rested my head on them.

"Ah, Fujiwara-fukutaichou, you have a visitor!" I heard Momo call. I lifted my head.

"Please come in!" I called back. Momo opened the door and Hisagi Shuhei walked in, grinning. I smiled at him and stood up. "Thank you, Hinamori-fukutaichou," I said. She nodded and walked out of my office, closing the door behind her. He looked me up and down.

"_Konnichiwa_, Shuhei-kun!" I said, smiling widely.

"You look tired," he observed. I crossed my arms.

"That's because I am!" I said indignantly. "Why are you here, anyway?" I joked. He pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back.

"Surprise," he said, smirking. I gasped.

"_Doumo arigatou_," I said. I took the flowers and hugged him. "So how's my best friend from the good old days?" I asked, looking for something to put the flowers in.

"I'm doing well," he said. "Just came to catch up with you." He plopped down on my couch and helped himself to some candy from a little candy dish.

"Oh, wow. You will not believe what happened to me yesterday," I sighed, jumping over the back of the couch to join Shuhei.

"Try me," he said, popping another candy into his mouth. I sighed and started my story.

By the time I had finished, all of the candies were gone and my fingers were sticky. I got up and went to wash my hands. When I got back, Shuhei had his hands behind his head and was leaned back, with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"So… what's gonna happen? Aren't you supposed to go back there today?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," I muttered. "I'm going back this evening." Shuhei nodded.

"And what're you gonna do about it? It doesn't sound like you're happy about getting married, so aren't you gonna do something to stop it?" he asked me expectantly.

I shook my head. "I can't," I whispered.

"Why?"

"I have to obey my parents always. Noble girls have to obey their parents unconditionally. I've already pushed the limits by going to the Court Guard Academy. My father allowed me to be a seated officer, then to become a lieutenant. The only reason I didn't have to ask for permission to become a captain was because the Captain-General promoted me, and his word is law, especially since my father used to be a captain." I put my head in my hands. "There's no way I can go against this."

"What about Captain Kuchiki? Isn't he the head of his family? And one of the four Noble families, right? So—no offense—but he has more power than you or your father, right?" Shuhei thought out loud.

"Well, it would make sense if he had more influence than my father, but I'm a captain like him so we're at the same level. But I believe Kuchiki Ginrei was the one who renewed the proposal, and I guess Kuchiki Byakuya can't defy him…" I said. "UGH! He's so…"

"Weird? Scary? Creepy?" Shuhei finished for me, grinning.

"Shuhei-chan, that's rude!" I cried. "And you're not making me feel any better," I moped. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me.

"There, there. It'll all turn out fine," he reassured. "And you know that's what you were thinking of him."

"You don't sound so sure," I said, hugging him back, ignoring his little remark. I pulled away. He shrugged. I groaned and fell back onto the arm of the couch.

He shrugged again. I looked up at the wall clock.

"Argh, we better go," I said. We stood up. I smoothed out my shihakushou and Shuhei enveloped me in a hug.

"Good luck," he said, grinning. I stuck my tongue out at him. We left my office and parted ways, looking professional.

It wasn't very smart, being so close with Shuhei. Me, being a women captain, and him, being a male lieutenant. People probably talked, but not to my face.

If someone was brave enough to accuse me of anything nasty, they would face my lightning zanpakutou, my Okamidenkou. I smiled to myself, then remember where I was headed. I sighed inwardly.

I made my way to my parents' house and walked up the familiar path to the front doors. The same male attendant let me in and led me to a different room then last time.

My mother was standing with a tiny old lady. Three of the walls were mirrors and there was a little platform along the wall directly in front of me. I stopped myself just in time before I let out a huge groan.

"_Konnichiwa_, Mayumi-chan!" my mother said. "This is the seamstress, and today you are getting fitted for your oironaoshi's kimono and the shiro-maku." So, basically, I was getting fit for several different kimono for the traditional wedding wardrobe and the white silk kimono that I would wear throughout the way.

"First we'll fit you for the shiro-maku!" the seamstress said. I undressed and my mother fussed over the clothes, folding them and placing them on a chair. I stepped up on the platform and the seamstress started to pin and arrange the white silk around me. After standing, rotating, being pricked for a little over an hour, the shiro-maku was fitted perfectly.

"Wonderful!" my mother gushed over my reflections in the mirror. The seamstress slipped it off of me.

"Now for the kimono for during the religious ceremony," the seamstress announced and started to work with the many cloths and complicated designs of the kimono.

"And after this we're going to go with the Kuchiki heads to file for your marriage!" my mother said, clasping and unclasping her hands while I was being fitted. "And your _uchikake_ [the intricate kimono worn by the bride during the reception] is going to be so beautiful! We're having it embroidered by many talented embroiderers!" I forced a smile. My mother was so excited about the wedding. I hated the idea of being married to someone I barely knew, but, obviously, I had to obey my parents, and my mother was so happy I didn't have the heart to tell her how much I really hated it.

Another hour passed until my ceremonial kimono was done being fitted and the seamstress started on the _uchikake_ with the deep red fabric. We passed the time making slightly awkward small talk.

Finally, the _uchikake_ was done, and I stepped out of that awful room. My mother was practically bouncing with joy—except she wasn't, because noblewoman don't bounce—as we picked up my father from his tea room and made our way to the office to meet the Kuchiki heads of family. I was wearing a plain sky-blue kimono and my hair was pinned up, three sakura pins stuck in by my fussy mother.

"I heard that Kuchiki Byakuya is fond of cherry blossoms," she said gleefully. I nodded and forced yet another smile.

We met up with them in front of the office. My parents bowed and exchanged compliments with Kuchiki Ginrei and Byakuya. Byakuya's eyes were emotionless and the only thing that moved was his mouth, which curbed into tight-lipped, fake smiles. I stayed quiet behind my parents, like a properly shy lady. I avoided eye contact with Kuchiki Byakuya.

We went inside the building and my mother pushed me forward to stand next to Byakuya. I awkwardly looked away from him. He stood straight and aloof, not by my side, but merely in my presence. His aura just made me feel terrible.

The person working in the office took one look at us and got the papers out.

"Names?" he asked, filling them in as we recited them. He looked up again and then murmured, "_Miai_," (arranged marriage) and checked something on the paper. He asked for our birth parents' names and filled it in. Then he pushed the papers towards Byakuya and I and gave us a pen. Byakuya made no move to sign the paper, so I picked up the pen and, hand trembling, signed the marriage document.

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><p><strong>AN: So chapter 3 is done :T So I'm not sure whether or not to do the next chapter about the wedding and go into detail, or if that would be too boring and just sayy that the wedding happened. Please review and let me know what you think! (L**


	4. Chapter 4

I signed the paper with a flourish quickly, trying to hide my shaking. I wrote a quick number five next to my name, and then pushed the paper to Byakuya. I nodded at him and he tilted his head slightly back at me. I tried to smile, and retreated back to stand behind my mother.

Something this stupid wasn't worth all the drama.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. All of it was stupid. Byakuya acting like such a jerk. Me acting so meek and timid.

_That's not the me I know! _I thought angrily. I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Even if I could acknowledge how mad I was and how sick and tired I was of this bullshit, I wouldn't be able to find the right words to phrase it… politely.

_Fuck politeness! I'm a captain! _I opened my mouth again.

"And then nothing came out!" I explained to Abarai, Hisagi and Matsumoto that night. I sighed and rested my chin on my arm, hand grasping the sake cup. Abarai laughed.

"You need to stand up to him if he's being a prick!" he said, patting my shoulder and laughing some more. Matsumoto pursed her full, pink lips.

"Show him who's boss," she said, winking.

"It's not like you ever show anyone 'who's boss' Rangiku-chan. Your breasts do it for you!" I teased. She pouted, but Abarai and Shuhei laughed. She rolled her eyes.

"A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do, Mayumi-taichou!" she said matter-of-factly. I laughed and sat up straight again, taking a sip of my sake. She shrugged at me and downed a glass.

Kyouraku stormed into the bar.

"I'm ready to get wasted!" he sang. I smiled and patted the seat next to me, and he flopped onto it.

We drank for a while, I tried to forget my worries. Irresponsible for a captain, I know. But oh well.

I would stand up to him (or talk to him, at least) eventually.

The next day I asked Momo to send any leftover paperwork to my apartment after she went home and made my way to my parents' house.

That day, a young servant girl led me to my mother's private chambers. She quietly asked me to sit on a ridiculously gaudy bench with fancy, painted screens on either side. I sighed and shook my head as she bowed and left the room. My mother swept into the room, wearing a bright pink kimono. I stood up and bowed, and she just clasped her hands then pulled me into a stifling hug. I hesitantly returned it.

"You're getting married, you're finally getting married," she said, her voice muffled by my shoulder.

My mother, Fujiwara Sayuri, was a member of the Ukitake clan, and her marriage to my father was arranged. She was a short, plump woman with a jolly face. She was skinnier when I was a little girl but that doesn't matter.

"Yep," I replied uncomfortably. She released me and I tried not to loudly suck in air. I forced another smile.

"The wedding is tomorrow!" she announced. I nodded, biting my lip.

_Tomorrow._

"Everyone in the Court Guards is invited, and the leaders of the… other groups are invited too!" she said happily. I nodded again. "And your sisters and their husbands too, and your brother and his wife!"

_So I can be embarrassed in front of everyone I know, serve, and command. _

The day dragged on, planning the last details of the wedding. My mother had already planned most of it. I went home that night a tossed and turned. Finally, I fell into a fitful sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was exhausted.

"Alright, let's do this," I said aloud.

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><p><strong>AN: short chapter! Anyway, I decided to just do a quickie on the wedding and get to the good part. (: haha, not like that. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing so far!**


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